


Kansas, She Said

by HYPERFocused



Category: Stargate SG1/Smallville
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-08-16
Updated: 2004-08-16
Packaged: 2017-10-09 03:59:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/82827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HYPERFocused/pseuds/HYPERFocused
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A cryptic message from an old colleague in Kansas sends Daniel and Jack to Smallville to investigate. Part of the Smallville Swing Challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kansas, She Said

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Current mood:** |   
accomplished  
---|---  
**Current music:** | gymnastics  
**Entry tags:** |   
[fic](http://hyperfocused.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [smallville](http://hyperfocused.livejournal.com/tag/smallville), [stargate sg1](http://hyperfocused.livejournal.com/tag/stargate%20sg1)  
  
  
_ **Fic: Kansas, She Said (Stargate SG1/Smallville, Rated R) Part 1** _

Title: Kansas, She Said  
Author: HYPERFocused  
Fandoms: Stargate SG1/Smallville  
Pairing: Daniel Jackson (Stargate), Dr. Frederick Walden; Daniel/Jack O'Neill, Clark/Lex  
Rating: R  
Summary: A cryptic message from an old colleague in Kansas sends Daniel and Jack to Smallville to investigate. Part of the Smallville Swing Challenge.  
A/N AU for SV "Rush", and most likely Stargate as well. (I think Daniel was probably ascended during the time frame here): Thanks for [gothphyle](http://www.livejournal.com/users/gothphyle/) for the inspiration.  


The members of SG1 were home on five days medical leave, mostly due to Sam's broken ankle, but the general exhaustion they all felt after nearly a month spent off- world made Janet suggest they all needed time to recuperate.

Daniel had no problem with that. He was just glad it wasn't him laid up this time, or God forbid, Jack. He smiled across the kitchen table at Jack, who was currently engrossed in the pile of Hockey Weeklies he'd picked up from the local newsstand on the way to Daniel's apartment. Ira, the newsstand's proprietor knew Jack was often away on "secret business", so he made it a point to save his favorite magazines for him. He also held back the occasional travel or archeology publication for Daniel, knowing he was Jack's friend.

Jack had also stopped to pick up their mail. Daniel skimmed through the pile of mostly junk, until he got to the envelope with a Kansas cancellation. He didn't think he knew anyone in Kansas. He and Jack had spent a weekend in Metropolis once, but that was the extent of his connection to the state.

He opened it, and shook out a postcard, and two photographs of what looked like primitive cave drawings. It only took a cursory glance for Daniel to know the pictograms painted there, as well as the ones carved into the rock were not of Native American origin. If he had to guess, he would say they weren't even terrestrial. He looked at the postcard. Frederick had written _"Kansas", she said, 'is the name of my star"_

Wish you were here, and so will you. Kawatche caves.

Daniel could still recognize Frederick's jagged scrawl. He flipped the postcard over. "Smallville: Meteor Capital of the World" said the caption on the front. It was a picture straight off of a "Main Street USA" movie lot, complete with CGI looking balls of fire streaking through the blue sky. The meteorites on the ground gave off a strange greenish glow. None of it looked real, but Daniel knew it had actually happened. He vaguely remembered reading about the event. He'd been in Egypt at the time, more concerned with 'dusty old rocks' - as Jack would say - than actual unknown extra-terrestrial minerals crash-landed on Earth. It's funny, he thought, how much that would change.

He looked at the postcard in his hand one more time, as if rereading the few cryptic lines written on it would somehow give him the answers he needed to decipher the even more puzzling photographs. It was so like Frederick to send him a riddle instead of a clear-cut message. He'd been puzzling and cryptic during the short span of their relationship, too, but that was another story Certainly not one he needed to dwell on with Jack sitting right across from him in his boxers, wearing that smugly satisfied and secretly possessive expression that Daniel only pretended to hate.

"You've been poring over that thing since we got home, Daniel. What's going on?"

"I don't know. I haven't heard from Frederick in nearly a decade, except when he had his publicist send me a copy of his book - and that was just to show off - and suddenly he's sending me 'wish you were here' postcards. It's strange." He handed the envelope over to Jack. "Not as strange as these drawings, though. I don't think they're what they're supposed to be."

"I take it this isn't the same guy we all met. The one from Chicago?" Daniel was grateful Jack didn't go into more detail, or mention the other third of the triangle Daniel didn't like to think about. It's not like Daniel wanted Sarah anymore, but the thought of her the way she was now, subsumed into the persona of pure evil - as cliche as that sounded, he knew it was true - made him sad.

Jack was as bad at remembering names as he was with Stargate addresses. "No, that was Steven Rayner. This is Frederick Walden; we were at Oxford together. He's kind of got the career I always expected to have." Daniel got up and went to the bookshelf, pulling Frederick's book down and handing it to Jack. Daniel had read it begrudgingly, and was pleased to note that it was just as dry and pretentious as the writer himself. He was sure that if he had had the opportunity to share his own knowledge with the world, he could make it a lot more compelling. Even without mentioning the Stargate, the Go'a'uld, or aliens in general.

Jack flipped through the book, and read the blurb on the back, handing it back to Daniel. "He looks like an asshole."

Daniel laughed. "You always were an astute judge of character, Jack."

"So what's the deal?"

"I'm not sure. He left a number, though. I suppose it couldn't hurt to find out what he wants." Daniel wasn't especially enthused about the idea.

"Well, he can't have you," Jack said, leaning over Daniel and kissing him on the shoulder. "You're mine."

"I don't think that's an issue anymore, Jack, even if I was looking. Besides, we only lasted a few months. There wasn't really room in his life for a relationship with anybody but himself."

"Definitely his loss, then." Daniel could tell Jack was relieved. No matter how often Daniel told him he wasn't looking for somebody new - or old - Jack still had doubts about the permanence of their relationship. "You're going to call him, aren't you? I know you can't resist a mystery."

"Yeah, I think I will. It'll probably turn out to be nothing, but I'd like to know for sure."

"So I guess the trip to the cabin is out, then?" Jack asked.

"You can still go, if you want. But yeah, I think I need to be in Kansas." Daniel felt bad. Jack had been so excited about the two of them spending a few days in Minnesota. He didn't think Minnesota was particularly exciting, but he loved seeing Jack relaxed and happy.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'll call Sven and tell him we don't need the cabin aired out. Why don't you see what you can find out about accommodations in Kansas."

"Are you sure? I'm pretty certain Smallville will live up to its name."

"I'm sure we can find something to do. We won't be in those caves all the time." Jack leered at him. "Besides, I don't care where we go, as long as we go there together."

* * *

 

Daniel called the number Frederick had left. After a few moments conversation he was even more certain they needed to get to Kansas, and fast. He made quick arrangements for rooms at the local bed and breakfast. He and Jack would really only need the one, but propriety demanded they put on the "just friends and colleagues" act. Then he and Jack called General Hammond.

"I'm sorry to bother you at home, sir," Daniel started. "And it will probably turn out to be some kind of prank. But I thought you should know, in case it really is some sort of situation the SGC will need to investigate." He filled the General in on what he knew so far.

"Any chance it's Go'a'uld related?"

"Not that Daniel can tell, sir. But the fact that he didn't recognize the symbols at all makes us both think we should check it out." No matter how often Daniel told him that even he had gaps in his linguistic skills, Jack assumed if Daniel couldn't immediately recognize some kind of writing, it was serious business.

"I'm inclined to agree. All right, keep us posted, and let's hope it does turn out to be nothing. We'll see about getting you two a few more days leave. Sorry about the fishing trip." General Hammond hung up, but not before Daniel heard the giggling of two small girls. He was glad the General was able to spend some time with his granddaughters.

Before they left, Daniel Googled "Smallville, Kansas", hoping to find out a little about the town and its history. He printed out a sheaf of information for Jack to read in the car. Aside from the old Time magazine story about the meteor shower, he wondered how much of it was true. The local high school newspaper's talk of mutants with strange powers was something an ordinary person would dismiss as teenage imaginings, but Daniel had seen too much similar weirdness to dismiss it out of hand. Clearly, this was going to be a more interesting vacation than he'd thought.

The drive to Smallville was pleasant, and luckily uneventful. Jack drove, which gave him control of the radio. Daniel knew this was half the reason he offered to go behind the wheel. While Jack drove, Daniel answered Jack's questions about his time with Frederick, why they'd broken up, and how Jack really, truly had nothing to worry about. When he told Jack "Frederick was the type of guy to belittle your ideas in class, then reword them slightly and turn them in for credit," Jack finally understood.

"You know, there's a lesson here." Jack put on his 'I'm so clever' face.

"What's that?"

"Stay away from guys named Frederick."

"I don't think that will be a problem. Besides, I'm only interested in guys named Jack." Daniel leaned in closer to him, laying a hand on Jack's thigh. They planned to get settled in the Bed and Breakfast they'd discovered before going to the caves. Frederick was going to meet him at a local coffee house to fill him in. He didn't know Jack was coming, and that was fine with Daniel. He hoped Frederick would be suitably jealous.

"That's good. Anyhow, from the gist of those Torch articles you showed me, it looks like we're more likely to run into Frederick King than another one of your surprise exes. "

"Well, besides the one, of course. But he won't be any problem."

It was quite late when they arrived in Smallville, so they drove straight to the B&amp;B. Daniel called Frederick to let them know they were in town, begging exhaustion, but really just wanting to spend some time alone with Jack. He arranged to meet Frederick at a place called The Talon the next morning.

The accommodations turned out to be lovely, with a hot meal waiting for them in the kitchen, despite their arrival long after dinner hours. The two rooms they'd requested were connected by a common bath, and they each had large, soft beds with obviously hand made quilts. One was in soothing shades of blue and green, and the other was in darker, vibrant reds. As Daniel expected, Jack tossed their bags on the red bed, and pulled down the covers on the blue one for them to use that night. Neither of them really thought anyone would question their room usage, but if they needed a paper trail to 'prove' they weren't a couple, they had one.

As it turned out, after the long drive, neither of them was up for much activity. It didn't matter. There would be time for that later. Daniel fell asleep contented by the even sounds of Jack breathing next to him, and the feel of Jack's arm pulling him close.

Morning came too early for them both, with a call to Daniel's cell phone. Jack was slowly kissing him awake, a far more enjoyable way to greet the day than Frederick's strident whine on the other end of the line. Unfortunately, that was what Daniel was hearing. Something had apparently happened in the caves last night, and Frederick was very upset.

"Obviously I'm not going to make it to breakfast. But you should grab something at the Talon before you come down here. The coffee's not up to your exacting standards, but the pie is damn good."

"All right, but I'm anxious to get a first hand look at those pictograms. I don't know when I've been as excited about a new site." On Earth, anyway, Daniel amended.

"Yes, well, you're going to have a field day. It seems you were right, all along."

"I was?" Shit. He hoped that didn't mean there was, or had been, a Go'a'uld presence in Kansas. Daniel made arrangements to meet Frederick at the site in two hours.

"That'll give us time to clean up some of the trash. Stupid teenagers had a rave here last night. Hell, I told Lex I didn't want anyone in there, and I was right."

"Lex?"

"Luthor. You could call him our corporate sponsor. More like corporate pain in the ass."

"Oh." Daniel had heard of the Luthors, of course. He didn't know much; big business wasn't really part of his usual purview. But what the young mogul would want with a cave full of archeological artifacts, he had no clue.

Jack was showered and half dressed by the time Daniel got off the phone. He'd thoughtfully turned on the small coffeemaker provided by the Bed and Breakfast. Daniel poured himself a cup, before hopping in the shower himself. It was good. Not quite up to his usual brand, but better than he had expected.

The Talon was easy enough to find, they were told. Daniel filled Jack in on the conversation with Frederick while they drove. When they spotted the "Smallville's Best Cappuccino" sign, they pulled in and parked. "It's probably Smallville's only cappuccino," Jack commented.

When they walked into the Talon, both Jack and Daniel gaped. The place looked like it had been decorated in Early Go'a'uld. Egyptian designs warred with Greek, which contrasted with the garish posters for classic movies seemingly placed at random around the room. Daniel hoped the food would prove more tasteful than the decor.

Jack poked him, and said, "You don't think..."

Daniel shook his head. "I doubt it. This mish-mash is completely inauthentic."

"So what _is_ the Egyptian God of Tackiness, anyway?"

Daniel laughed, but covered it when he saw the server approaching. It was a pretty young girl. High school aged, he guessed. She was wearing a pale pink jacket, and a nametag that spelled out "Lana". He remembered the Time magazine story, and wondered if she was the same girl.

She was certainly friendly enough, welcoming them to Smallville while she took their orders. "What brings you to town?" She asked.

"Daniel's an archeologist. He's here to check out the Kawatche caves, and I'm here to make sure he gets back to Colorado safely."

The girl's eyebrows rose. "You're expecting trouble?"

"We hope not. But your little town seems to have more than its share of oddities. That meteor shower sure brought a lot of bad luck."

Lana frowned, her face scrunching into a semblance of the little girl on the magazine. "Yes, it did. If I were you, I wouldn't bring it up so casually. No one who was there on that awful day thinks it's a matter for tourist interest."

"I did wonder why you sold post cards of such an awful event," Daniel said. "I know I'd never want that kind of reminders from the museum where my parents were killed."

"They were killed at a museum? How awful! Did they get caught in a robbery?"

"No, they were archeologists, putting an exhibit together, when the rope holding it up broke."

Jack put a hand on Daniel's shoulder. 'They were squashed by a honking big rock. Poor kid was right there watching, too. Damn shame. But I know they'd be proud of him now."

"Thanks, Jack." Daniel didn't like to talk about it either, but he'd felt an affinity for the unfortunate girl, whose experience somewhat mirrored his own.

"Sounds like you've got a better idea how I feel than anyone else I know. I'm sorry. How old were you?" Lana asked. She indicated the seat next to him to ask if she could sit down, and he nodded. He knew Jack was going to comment later. He always did when pretty young girls got friendly. Not that he had any reason to be concerned. For some reason, they just seemed to like him. Daniel didn't know why.

"I was eight. And no, it wasn't fun. But I think it made me even more determined to make something of my life."

"That makes sense. I wonder if I had grown up with a normal childhood if I would be running a place like The Talon."

"It's yours? We just assumed at your age, that you were an employee. You seem awfully young." Jack was clearly surprised.

"Yes, it's my baby. Well, Lex has his hand in it, but he's not really involved with the day-to-day stuff. Do you like the place?"

Daniel took a sip of his latte, and lied. "Yes, of course. It's very - colorful."

"The pie is terrific," Jack added. Daniel saw the way he was attacking it, and knew he meant it. Jack's sweet tooth didn't have any time constraints, unlike Daniel's. As much as he loved chocolate, the idea of sugary apple pie for breakfast didn't really appeal.

Real time constraints were calling to them now. Jack coughed, pointing to his watch. "We really need to go now, Daniel." Lana took the hint, and came back with their check.

* * *

 

The Kawatche caves proved a little more difficult to find. Lana's " it's a ways past the castle" was thought to be a joke, until they actually drove by the huge stone monstrosity. "Now that does sound like something a Go'au'uld would do," Jack joked.

"It's supposed to be the Luthor ancestral home, if I recall correctly. I hope that's not true. They never should have uprooted it." Daniel didn't even want to think about the history that would have destroyed.

Frederick was pacing back and forth in the cave's entrance when they arrived. "Daniel. It's been a long time. You look - good. Who's this? You didn't say you were bringing anybody."

"This is Colonel Jack O'Neill. We work together in Colorado." Jack held out a hand to Frederick, who shook it reluctantly.

"Oh. I was really hoping you'd come alone." Yeah, Daniel just bet he was.

"That's not going to happen," Jack said. From the forceful tone in his voice, Daniel bet Frederick understood why. He deflected any further show of testosterone by asking for a tour of the caves.

"Well, since we did come out here for a reason, could we get started?" Frederick nodded, and walked ahead of them, urging them to follow.

"I was supposed to be leading a dig in South America, but Lex convinced me this was a more important find. I think you'll agree. Mind you, this was before all this weirdness with the giant parasites and the disappearing carvings. But I'm getting ahead of myself. You should see the drawings first."

Daniel exchanged a glance with Jack. This did not sound good. He really didn't want his suspicions to be true. "Parasites?"

"Yes, they're unlike anything we've ever seen. They pulled one out of one of the teenagers who'd been trespassing. It crawled out of her neck. It's the only live one we've got. Strangest thing. Seemed to make these kids act quite oddly. Like they couldn't be hurt, or didn't care."

"I'd like to get a look at it, right away." Daniel was more immediately concerned with that, than the writing on the walls. The pictograms had presumably been there for many years, but they were unlikely to be a threat. Mind-altering parasites, on the other hand, certainly were.

"Of course. You do understand the need for discretion here. This isn't something we're ready to share with the world." Frederick looked pointedly at Jack, who glared back at him. Daniel laughed inwardly. Frederick had _ no_ idea.

There were a handful of people in the cave when they went in. Most of them were obviously connected to the exploration, doing scientific work. The other two looked quite out of place.

One of them, a sleekly bald young man in an expensive suit was talking to the other, a remarkably good-looking teenager in a plaid shirt, and a Smallville Crows jacket. It looked like they were arguing. Actually, it looked more like the dark haired boy was trying to placate the other. If Daniel had to guess from the way the guy was looking pleadingly at his friend, they had something in common with him and Jack.

"Lex, please. You know I'm not the one who let those other kids in here. Hell, I tried to stop them. Clean up the place, even."

"I don't have a problem with you being here, Clark. You know that. But I need to do whatever will make Dr Walden comfortable. We need his expertise."

"I wasn't interfering," Clark complained. Daniel wondered what his interest in the cave was. He liked seeing young people with such a dedicated interest.

He approached the pair. "I can't imagine this young man would be any trouble, just observing."

Clark looked at him gratefully. "Thanks. I'm Clark Kent, by the way. I don't think I know you".

"Dr. Daniel Jackson. Frederick - Dr Walden - called me in to work on deciphering the pictograms."

"Yes, he'd mentioned you," Lex said. "You've got quite the pedigree. Though the gaps in your publication are puzzling."

"Daniel has two Doctorates and a Master's degree. He's fluent in 30 languages. I'm sure he'll be a big help." Jack stuck up for him. Not that he needed it. Daniel was quite capable of defending himself against young dilettantes and high school kids alike.

Frederick pointed them to the red and blue drawings. They were astounding. Daniel could easily spend months studying them, but as always, he knew that wasn't going to be an option. The symbols carved into the nearby rock were unrecognizable to him as well. It definitely wasn't Go'a'uld, which was quite a relief.

"You can read Krypt --Cryptograms?" Clark sounded personally upset about it, and Daniel wondered why. He got a weird vibe off the kid, like he wasn't quite what he seemed. Daniel nudged Jack, who understood the need to keep a close eye on Clark.

"Cryptograms are just puzzles. These are pictograms. And no, not yet. But I'm hoping with some investigation that I'll be able to do so."

"Oh, okay," Clark said, but clearly it wasn't. Daniel didn't have time to figure out why. Frederick approached him with a large liquid filled vial.

"You wanted a look at the parasite." Frederick handed him the vial. "Have you ever seen anything like it?"

Daniel and Jack both took a good look at it. Unpleasant as it was, he was greatly relieved to see it wasn't a Go'a'uld symbiote. "Not exactly, no." Of course he didn't know _what_ it was, but if it wasn't a serious immediate threat, General Hammond was unlikely to involve the SGC. They had enough to deal with, on world and off.

Still, they had four days for Daniel to work on it. It was the kind of mystery he loved. He just hoped Jack wouldn't be bored. "I don't think we're going to make that fishing trip, Jack."  
  
link to part 2: <http://www.livejournal.com/users/hyperfocused/94841.html#cutid1>


End file.
